Lost in the Dark
by thatwriterkidtoday
Summary: Years ago a girl was taken from the arms of her mother and given to parents that would raise her for the next 12 years. Now, she's finding out exactly who she is, all while an escaped murderer is trying to kill her best friend. It should be an interesting year.
1. Prologue

**Summary: Years ago a girl was taken from the arms of her mother and given to parents that would raise her for the next 12 years. Now, she's finding out exactly who she is, all while an escaped murderer is trying to kill her best friend. It should be an interesting year.**

 **A/N: I own nothing except my original characters. Anything you recognize is curtesy of JKR. I'm just borrowing it.**

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"Juliet, I need you to go with your brother. He will take care of you," the woman in front of me told me, tears streaming down her face and causing her luscious black curls to stick to her cheeks. She clutched me to her in desperation and I, at only a year old, seemed to understand that this was it. "I love you so much my beautiful, darling girl and I'm sorry that we can't be together but I promise that I will come back to you. No mater what, I promise. Apollo, please."

"Of course, Bellatrix," the young, blonde haired man next to her said, taking me into his arms. "I'll protect you, little one."

"This is not goodbye, my beautiful girl. We shall see each other again."

And with that, the woman disappeared.


	2. Chapter One

I jolted up in bed, sweating profusely from the intensity of my dream. It was the same one that I had had for years. Except, it wasn't a dream. It was a memory. The only memory that I had of my birth mother. It has haunted me my whole life.

"Guys, if you don't hurry we're going to be late," Mum called up the stairs. At this I could hear the rushing sounds of my younger brothers as they too hurriedly got ready. All of our luggage was packed and already in the car, all we had left to do was get ourselves downstairs with our backpacks.

Aiden was the middle child, at eleven years old. From Ireland he sported soft red hair, bright green eyes, a splash of freckles, and a loving smile. My youngest brother Sean was a blonde headed seven year old with huge blue eyes and cherubic features. We were all adopted and, at thirteen years, I was the oldest.

"Do you have everything you need, Jules?" Papa asked as I walked into the kitchen at the right of the stairs.

"I think so. I double checked everything," I tried to assure him. "Is Alex going to meet us at the portkey?"

"Actually, he's going to meet us at the Leaky Cauldron. He said that he has some business to attend to in muggle London before he joins us."

Alex was the code name we had for my half brother, Apollo. It wouldn't do to call him by his name as people would automatically think of who he really was, a Greek god. I knew that my half brother was a god just as I knew that my biological father was a god. I didn't love my older brother any less for it. In fact, I loved him more because it was hard for him to love me but he did it anyways. My biological father, Zeus, was harder to explain. He loved me, that much was obvious, he just had a very hard time showing it. I thought for a long time that he hated me and then I realized that if he did he wouldn't have placed me with the wizarding family that raised me. He could've very well sent me to live at the camp that Alex says the rest of the misplaced half bloods go to.

My parents, Emma and Garrett Sánchez, were both purebloods who could have no children of their own. They decided that they wanted kids so they adopted three magical children that would've otherwise been sent to live with muggles. My Papa graduated from a school in Spain but my mum was a graduate of Hogwarts, the school that I, and now Aiden, attended. Aiden was going into his first year and I into my third.

The mansion my papa had inherited from his parents was extensive and in the back, past the lake, their was a portkey that would take us to the Leaky Cauldron. Shopping for school was something I looked forward to every year as it was one of the only guaranteed times of the year that I would get to see my older brother. He liked to accompany us on these outings and he was there waiting for us when we arrived, dressed to the nines in his blue cashmere business suit, black button down shirt, and matching blue tie.

"Alex!" I exclaimed, running into his open arms. He held me close and I relished in the feeling of his strong, protective arms. "I'm so glad you're here! How've you been?"

"Oh, you know, traveling to and from Olympus, hooking up with mortals," he laughed, teasing me.

"Stop it, Aiden and Sean are here."

"My boys!"

My younger brothers engulfed him, giving me the chance to escape. Across the room I spotted my three best friends and hurried over to where they were sitting down to eat.

"Juliet!" Harry shouted, shooting up out of his chair and coming around the table to give me a huge hug. I was passed around to Ron, then Hermione, and finally to the twins who sandwiched me in between them. When I was finally able to get free I sat down at the table, letting my three brothers join us.

"Hey guys," my older brother said as he took a seat next to me. He knew my friends in passing. He didn't know them terribly well but he knew that I loved him so he didn't feel like he had to. "How is everyone on this fine summer day?"

"Alex, shut up," I laughed, smacking my brother playfully on the arm before allowing him to wrap it around me and snuggling into his chest in perfect content. "But really, what are you all doing here?"

"We just got back from Egypt," Fred said, giving me his most charming smile. "How about you?"

"My parents-"

"Fred! George!" Sean screamed, rushing to the twins. They scooped him into a hug and he buried himself in their stomachs. "You were gone all summer. I missed you."

"We missed you too," they said in unison, eliciting giggles from the boy. I looked around at the people I loved most in the world, my parents conversing with the Weasleys, whom I considered family, Ron and Hermione arguing, Harry digging into his lunch as if he'd never seen food before, the twins amusing Sean with their tricks, Aiden blushing a bright scarlet as he spoke to Ginny, and Alex, his arm wrapped around me in a way that let you know he'd never really let me go. This was my family, where I belonged.

"Now, are we all ready to go? Harry? Hermione?" Aunt Molly asked as the adults came to join us. After receiving affirmative nods they herded us out of the inn and onto the streets of Diagon Alley. Alex and I fell in step with Harry, knowing Alex would pay for our school things as he always did.

We first stopped in the bookstore and a wanted poster caught my eye of a man who had escaped from Askaban. I had heard my parents talking about it, as my Papa was an auror and was helping look for him, but I didn't know much. Seeing his picture struck something in me as I recognized the black curls that framed his face as being much the same as those on the woman from my dreams, and as those that sat atop my own head. It seemed that Alex noticed the look because he pulled me behind a bookcase, intent on talking in private.

"Recognize something, do you?" He smiled, nudging me playfully. He would've told me who she was a long time ago but he had been forced by Zeus to swear that he wouldn't. He'd been dropping me what hints he could, hoping that I would figure it out. He couldn't tell me anything directly but he could dispel every option but the right one.

"That man, Sirius Black, they have the same hair," I stated. "Is it… are they related?"

"They do not have the same last name. Anymore."

"How are they related?"

"They're not siblings and they are around the same age."

"So cousins, most likely. Thank you, Alex."

"She loved you, more than anything, she loved you. You-you may think bad of her when you learn who she is but please realize that everything she did, she did to keep you safe from those who would hurt you because you are of Father's blood."

I fell forward into his arms, tears streaming down my face. My older brother was the only person I was truly this open with, the only person I could bare my soul to. He knew of my sadness at not knowing my birth mother and he didn't judge me for it. It wasn't that I didn't love my mum, because I did. It was just that I couldn't help but feel longing for the sad, beautiful woman from my memory, the crying mother who haunted my dreams.

As soon as I was able to pull myself together, we were off, searching the stacks for the books I would need. A thought came to me and, with what little knowledge of the Black family I had, I picked up a book called Modern Pureblood Families: History, Heritage, and Lineage. Alex smiled at the choice and I knew then that the answers I was seeking were in that book.


	3. Chapter Two

That night we all sat down to dinner at the Leaky Cauldton, everyone staying there for the night and then leaving in the morning altogether. I say in between Alex and Harry, Sean across from me in between Fred and George. The table was headed by the patriarchs, Papa at one end and Uncle Arthur at the other, giving a true sense of family.

"Alex, you didn't give us our presents," Sean pointed out.

"And what makes you think I brought you presents?" Alex smiled back, already summoning his bag to him. No one but my parents knew the truth about him and about my biological father but they all seemed to accept his godly powers as magic.

"You always bring presents."

"Too right you are, little one. For you, Garrett," Opening his bag he took out the first wrapped package, sending it down the table to Papa. He opened it and found a beautiful muggle pea coat in a rich blood red, his favorite color. Papa had a love of muggle fashion and he had been searching for that very coat for a while. "I found it at a designer shop in Vancouver and knew that you had to have it. Emma," Mum opened her package to reveal a cookbook all about how to make Chicago style pizza. Alex had brought us one once and she'd always wanted to learn how to cook it. She smiled her thanks and allowed him to continue.

It appeared he had presents for everyone; a book of American politics for Hermione, muggle whoopie cushions for the twins, strong hold hair gel for Percy, his favorite, a rather large box of American sweets for Ron, a gorgeous cashmere scarf for Aunt Molly, a muggle iPod for Uncle Arthur, and a Holly Head Harpies jersey for Ginny. That left only Aiden, Sean, Harry, and myself waiting.

"For you four I searched very hard for these. I myself did not know my biological parents growing up and so I understand how hard to can be to have nothing of theirs," Alex said, emotion lacing his voice. He handed Sean an unwrapped, stuffed brown teddy bear that the boy instantly clutched to his chest. "This was your father's when he was a child. It is charmed so that it will never rip, never get dirty, and never grow worn. Take good care of him." Next he pulled out a wand and handed it to Aiden. Alex had insisted that we wait until just before we left to purchase him a wand. Now it was very obvious why. "I found this, with your father's help, at the Ministry. It belonged to your mother, an auror. I have a feeling it will serve you well." Aiden smiled triumphantly as a swift flick summoned a piece of bread to him. Next, Alex turned to Harry, pulling out two ring boxes and passing them to him. "These were a bit harder to find and I'm afraid I had to have a lot of help but we, the adults at this table, eventually got ahold of them. They are your parents wedding rings, a symbol of their love to each other. It only seemed fitting for you to have them." Harry teared up as he took the boxes and slipped them into his pocket, too overcome with emotion to give anything more than an appreciative nod.

"And at last, we come to you, dear sister. I've been looking for something, anything of hers since you were a baby but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I had any luck. You see, your mother was the most brave, loyal, and kind hearted person that I had ever met, and I wanted you to have something that represented that amazing woman. It's not much but it was the best that I could do," Alex got out as he handed me a heart shaped locket. I opened it to find a picture of the young woman from my dreams holding a baby, me, and smiling brightly on one side and a picture of the same woman, then only a few years older than me, with two other girls. My older brother then pushed a button on the side and a beautiful voice filled the air, singing a French lullaby. It was my mother's voice, I would've known it anywhere.

I burst into tears as the voice brought forth a long forgotten memory of the woman holding me in her arms, swaying me around the room as she sang me to sleep. There was a great love in her eyes and, even as she sang, a smile on her face. I broke down and allowed Alex to take me in his arms as first Harry, and then Aiden, and then everyone else joined them in surrounding me with love.

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 **A/N: Sorry it's a bit short. I'll warn now that updates will be a bit sporadic. I'm a college freshman with a severe case of ADHD but I promise to update it as soon as I can.**


	4. Chapter Three

"I swear, it's like they're trying to gang up on him," Ron mumbled as he picked his rat, Scabbers, off of the floor of the compartment we were in. It was the only compartment on the train that wasn't completely full and so we were sharing it with a sleeping man, Professor R. J. Lupin. Aiden had gone off to sit with Ginny and her friends somewhere in the dining style cars. Everything had been going well. Scabbers seemed to attract the attention of Crookshanks and Artemis, the cats Hermione and I had purchased in Diagon Alley.

"Oh, calm down," I giggled, seeing the irony in the situation. It appeared my cat was a hunter much like her namesake, my older sister, Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis was the only other Olympian I had contact with besides Alex and my father as she had taught me since I was a very young child on how to defend myself.

"Finally found something that'll put up with you, Sánchez?" The laughing voice of Draco Malfoy came from the compartment door where he stood with Crabbe and Goyle. None of the others would know it but Draco and I were actually friends, good friends. He just insisted on keeping up this farce that he was a total prick to everyone at all times.

"Shut it, Malfoy," I snapped back, winking.

"Oh, she's got a bit of a bite on her, has she? Did our little orphan grow a backbone over the summer?"

"More of a backbone than you, swine."

"I'd watch yourself, mud blood. Come on."

And with that my blonde friend was off with his two lackeys. The others looked at me quizzically but I simply shrugged and went back to the book on purebloods that I was reading. It outlined every major family and it didn't take me long to find the Black family tree. I found Sirius easy enough, though it said that he had been disowned, and from there it was only too easy to find what I was looking for. I gasped and dropped the book, my hands shooting to my face as tears welled in my eyes.

"Juliet? Jules, what's wrong?" Harry said as he leaned closer. Hermione kneeled in front of me, her hand on my knee as they both gave me worried looks. I didn't know what to say.

"It-it can't be h-her," I stuttered out with tears streaming down my face. "Alex warned me, he told me not to judge her. He said she did it for me. How could she do those things for me?"

"Not to be insensitive but what are you talking about?"

"My mother. Alex has been giving me hints and I've finally found her. I-I can't believe it."

Hermione picked up the book to examine it and that is when all went cold. The train rattled to a stop and we all looked around in horror as in eerie feeling crept in with the cold. Hermione got back into her seat and I heard her and Ron speaking but I couldn't make out the words. A cold had seeped into my bones and the breath was knocked from my lungs as I went rigid. I was unaware of anything else around me, only the feeling of drowning, until suddenly I heard a voice crying out, asking for release. It was my mothers voice.

When I came to I noticed that I wasn't the only one that seemed out of sorts. Harry sat next to me looking extremely disheveled and our friends and who I assumed to be Professor Lupin looked upon us with worry. He wasn't old or young, around my Papa's age, with brown hair, a scraggly beard, and green eyes. He was handsome, in an older kind of way.

"Here, eat this," Lupin said, giving us both a chunk of chocolate. "It'll help. How do you feel?"

"Cold," Harry murmured and we both shivered. "What was that?"

"A dementor, they're the guards of Azkaban. Eat, you'll feel better. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with the driver."

As the professor left our friends turned to us, questions in their eyes. I wasn't sure about Harry but the experience had shaken me to the core and I couldn't shake the cold or the sound of my mother crying. My heart was breaking for the beautiful woman from my memories, even now that I knew the truth of who she was and what she had done.

"What-what happened?" I gasped.

"The air went cold and then the two of you both went rigid," Hermione said.

"I thought you both were having a fit or something," put in Ron.

"And did either of you two…?"

"No, but I felt cold, like I'd never be cheerful again."

"There was a woman screaming," Harry said with palpable fear.

"No one was screaming, Harry."

"I heard a woman crying, my mother. My biological mother, I mean," I mumbled.

"You were saying something about that before?"

"Later, I'll tell you later, after I've had time to digest it."

We rode in silence for the rest of the very short ride to Hogwarts. It was clear that both Harry and I were not feeling our best and our friends looked worried but didn't pressure us. I wanted to talk to Draco before I spoke with anyone else. Draco would know what to do. I was entering into his arena.

When we got to the castle Draco stopped us just as we were to enter the Great Hall. He smirked at us, saying, "Is it true you fainted? You actually fainted?"

"Shove off Malfoy," Harry grumbled as he pushed past the blonde boy, followed closely by Ron and Hermione. I stepped up to Draco, hoping everyone would mistake it as me simply threatening him.

"I've discovered something, something big. Can we meet tonight?" I whispered in his ear.

"Second floor girls lavatory, right after the feast. Don't be late, mud blood," the blonde boy smirked, walking off. I did my best to look agitated as I joined my friends, hiding my mirth behind an annoyed look that didn't quite reach my eyes.

"What did Malfoy want?" Ron spat.

"To be a git, of course," I responded. We sat as the Sorting Ceremony went off without a hitch and cheered every time someone was sorted into our house. Towards the end my brother was called and the four of us cheered louder than ever, along with the Weasley twins, when he was sorted into our house. Aiden came and plastered himself into my side in an uncharacteristic show of affection.

"Feeling alright?" I asked, kissing his soft, red hair.

"Scared, I guess," he shrugged, stuffing a piece of bread in his mouth and attempting to talk around it. "I miss Papa and Mum and Sean. Do you?"

"Of course, but soon you'll be making friends and you'll learn to love it here. This is a great place and we'll be home before you know it. Christmas isn't that far away."

"And then we'll go home and everyone will be there?"

"Everyone, even Alex said he'd make it to Christmas this year. Does that help?"

"I guess, as long as Alex teaches me some his card tricks like he did last year."

I smiled at the memory of my older brother teaching us the muggle "magic" tricks. It fascinated us to no end that there seemed to be no explanation for the things the muffled could do. Sean, to young to comprehend the explanation of the trick, had left but Aiden and I had been enraptured and did our best to learn what Alex taught. It warned my heart to see the way that my siblings interacted, considering each other as brothers themselves.

"Welcome," Dumbledore shouted, calling everyone's attention to where he stood at the front. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, I have some announcements before we all become too befuddled in our excellent feast. First, I'm please to welcome Professor Lupin who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Of course," gasped Hermione. "That's how he knew to give you both the chocolate."

"As some of you may know, Professor Kettleburn has retired but his position is to be filled by none other than our very own, Rubeus Hagrid! Now, as you may have noticed, this year we are playing host to the dementors of Azkaban, until such time as Sirius Black has been caught. While I've been ensured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution. Dementors will not differentiate between the one they seek and the one who gets in their way. Give them no reason to harm you. But you know, happiness can found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

"That was… cheerful," Ron said, falling on his food as if he hadn't eaten in years. I pushed my food around on my plate and Harry did the same as my friends and I entered into a flowing, stress free conversation.

After dinner I broke away from the group, claiming that I needed to check something, and went off to find my Slytherin friend. He was right where I expected him to be, leaning against a bathroom stall with his arms crossed and that insufferable smirk on his face. I went to him and, without a word, wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him to me. He reciprocated the hug, seeming to understand that I needed the comfort. It was more than that though, I had missed him. Throughout the summer we had exchanged many letters but it wasn't the same as seeing him in person.

"What is wrong, mon petit?" Draco asked, tenderness lacing his highborn voice.

"I… have found something," I said with no small amount of apprehension.

"About your mother?"

I could only nod into his chest in response.

"That is wonderful. Why do you seem so said?"

"She-she is not what I thought she would be. I'm not sure that I can forgive her what she has done, even if she did it for me."

"Anything can be forgiven if it was done to protect someone so amazing."

"You won't believe me when I tell you…"

"Try me."

"My biological mother is Bellatrix Lestrange."

I cried into Draco's shirt for a very long time and he just allowed it, holding me as he took in the information. I could practically feel his mind working and after a few minutes I pulled away, taking in the face of my dearest friend. He seemed excited and that threw me. I couldn't for the life of me understand why something so horrible could elicit such a look of joy on his face.

"What is it?" I asked indignantly.

"You probably don't realize this but Bellatrix Lestrange has two younger sisters and her youngest sister married a wealthy, pureblood business man. Together they had the most handsome, smart, athletic-"

"You? Does that mean-"

"We're cousins!"

I suddenly understood his joy as it rushed through me as well and I fell back into his arms. I was still struggling with everything that I knew about her but the revelation had now given me a sense of family, of belonging. I had never actually met Draco's family but he had spoken of them often and I knew that with them I would be very loved.

"I hope you don't mind but I would like to inform Mother immediately. She will be overjoyed," smiled my blonde friend, cousin, finally releasing me. "She'll want to see you, of course. Will you tell your parents?"

"I'm not sure," I shrugged. "I suppose I should first ask my older brother if they already know. If they do it will be easy to inform them that I now know. If they don't…"

"They could react badly. I understand. Know that if they do react negatively you will always be welcome with me. I'm sorry but we really must go, we don't want to be caught after hours."

"Of course. You'll write to her, your mother?"

"As soon as I'm in my room. Goodnight, mon petit. I hope you sleep well."

"Goodnight, _cousin_."


End file.
